It is common practice to provide on electrical terminals of various types a wire connecting portion comprising a pair of spaced apart plate-like members which are connected to each other by parallel connecting straps. The plate-like members have aligned wire-receiving slots so that an insulated wire can be connected to the terminal by merely moving the wire laterally of its axis and into the wire-receiving slots. The edges of the slots penetrate the insulation of the wire and establish electrical contact with the conducting core. So long as the wire is not violently disturbed, an electrical connection of this type will remain stable and effective over an extremely long time period.
A common type of terminal usually referred to as a flag-type terminal has a contact portion such as a receptacle for a terminal tab which extends laterally of a wire to which the terminal is attached. In the past it has not been practical to provide flag-type terminals with insulation displacement wire connecting portions as described above. The electrical connection in flag-type terminal is subject to somewhat more abusive handling than the electrical connection between a wire and a conventional in-line terminal and it is probably for this reason that insulation displacement type connections have not been used for flag-type terminals in the past. Additionally, it is difficult to provide a contact portion of a flag-type terminal which extends laterally of a contact portion of the insulation displacement type. Terminals of the types under consideration are manufactured by stamping and forming sheet metal into the configuration required and it is difficult to produce by stamping and forming an insulation displacement type terminal having its contact portion extending laterally of a wire received in the wire connecting portion.
The present invention is directed to the achievement of flag-type terminals having insulation displacement type connecting portions for forming the electrical connections between a wire and the terminal and is further directed to a terminal having improved means for stabilizing the wire after it has been inserted into the terminal and to an improved terminal structure for flag-type terminals.
A flag-type terminal in accordance with the invention has a wire connecting portion and a contact portion which extends laterally of the wire connecting portion. A terminal in accordance with the invention is particularly characterized in that the wire connecting portion comprises a pair of spaced apart aligned plate-like members, each of the members having a first end and a second end, the first ends being connected by spaced apart connecting straps. Aligned wire-receiving slots extend into the plate-like members from the first ends whereby a wire can be moved laterally of its axis between the connecting straps, and into the wire-receiving slots. The wire connecting portion is integral with, and extends laterally from, one of the connecting straps.
In accordance with a further embodiment, at least one crimpable strain relief device is provided on the terminal, the strain relief device being integral with, and extending from, the second end of one of the plate-like members. In accordance with a further embodiment, the contact portion is connected to the one connecting strap by a connecting section which extends from the one connecting strap towards the second ends of the plate-like members, the contact portion extending from the connecting section at a location proximate to the second ends of the plate-like members. In accordance with a further embodiment, the contact portion extends directly from the connecting strap.